This book conducts a thorough investigation of the variation in tone sandhi patterns of
Shanghai and Wuxi Wu using quantitative rating experiments. Although Shanghai Wu has been well
documented to date there has never been any quantitative study that systematically
investigates the factors that influence variability - a research gap this book fills. Further
Wuxi Wu is investigated as an additional case that demonstrates the unique phonological nature
of tone sandhi and how it changes how speakers learn and internalize the variable tone sandhi
pattern. The findings presented here will shed new light on important issues of wordhood the
interface of morphosyntax and phonology and the formal model of variability in phonology.
